The Grenada gazette., 1887-11-19
THe SAMOAN IsLAMps.


,.l.nds and the removal Of the King
h.a brought most wildly to the mind
u the writer some pleasant days passed
n that most picturesque of mid-ocean
island groups. Right in the middle Of
ne grand old ocean, with its beautiful
Nine waters almost unfathomable, until
.ou,e bright mind thought Of using
piano wire to ascertain it's depth. jump
m here and there peaks Of what were
once volcanoes in active operation. A
nearer approach discloses dense woods.
With green fertile patches dotted here
and there With the buildings of the ma
tiyes, and rs one passes inside the coral
reefs, behind whose shelter the safest
Of anchorages can be found. he is sur
prised to see some good sized villages
well filed with people in European
costumes, whereas being clothed in
ones right mind. with the addition of a
breech clout for adults, was at one time
the only covering required. The sim.
plicity Of manner which has been men.
toned by numerous early explorers who
visited the island still exists. more es.
pecially among those who live away
from the villages, and whose ideas show
an almost utter want Of what to us are
the conventionalities. Numerous were
the hearty laughs we had over their at.
tempts at copying their European visit.
ors, and the utter failures which at.
tended their efforts.
The color of the natives is, as a rule,
dark olive. The better class, however,
are much lighter. The men are tall
and we'll formed, giving ono rather a
false idea Of being quite athletic. We
saw nothing during our visit to indicate
their excelling in sport of any kind.
The women are generally slight. but
quite symmetrical, easy and graceful.
and the most laughing, good-natured
creatures imaginable. Some Of the
chiefs have two OF more wives, but
polygamy is rather the exception than
the rule, and even when there is more
than one wife separate establishments
are provided for each.
The great evenness of climate makes
two crops year q possibility. and
should some enterprising parties un-
dertake practical farming in Samoa
there are immense returns to be had.
But in climate where the temperature
is always between seventy and ninety
degrees energy seems to be the lacking |
element toward the carrying out Of OK
tcnsive agricultural schemes, and now
the principal exports ale "coppra," or
the dried meat of the cocoanut from
which oil is made, and small quantity
Of cotton. Nearly all the trade is CON
rolled by SOME Hamburg houses, and
The Germans are by far the most
numerous of the foreigners. 1t seems
strange to hear that they are the ones
making the present trouble. Possibly
III the privileges they have been here.
ofore enjoying were somewhat abro-
,ated by the exiled King; hence his
cmoval and the establishing of one
more favorably disposed in his place.
One of the never-failing sources of
lclight during the stay Of our ship at
he islands was to watch the wonder
ul display Of dexterity ON the part of
he islanders in handling their canoes,
cores Of which were daily plying about
he ship. dodging in and out, rushing
It each other under full headway, as
hough one would go right through the
'ther, when by dexterous movement
# the paddle the speed Of the boat
would be almost instantly arrested or
orced sufficiently out of her course to
void accident. From this great skill
he Samoan Islands were named archi-
vel des navigateurs, and they to-day
re called. in addition to their more
ommon name. the Navigator Islands
Commander Meade visited the islands
ghen in command of the steamer Mar
ngansett in 1872. and through his ex-
rtions succeeded in getting the chiefs
0 place the harbor of Pango Pango I'M
Ter the protection of the United States
government. with a view toward estab-
ishing coaling station there, it being
N the direct route between America
nd Australia. In the future it will
play an important part. as the
arbor is completely landlocked and
as an entrance clear of rocks and wa
er for the largest vessels. A special
gent was sent out after the return Of
he Narragansett to negotiate the ex-
ensi0n of the protectorate over all the
stands, as their value to us is beyond
ny question greater than it can posi-.
ly bs to any other nation. but in 1876
native chief was elected King. and
ur special mission ended by the agent
ecoming Prime Minister to the King.
he latter has shown numerous in
tances Of friendly feeling to the United
tates, and has granted permission to
stablish naval and coaling station
here, Of which we have never fully ia
en- advantage.-M T. Times. (